Iwate JALT:

Talk: Revisiting Mechanical Speaking Practices

Date: Sunday, July 27th, 2014
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker: Emiko Kaneko (University of Aizu)

Description:
In the English as a foreign language (EFL) context, learners only have limited exposure to naturally spoken English. They also have very few opportunities in which they use English naturalistically for oral communication. Considering the limited exposure to the target language and a large classroom size, speech repetition may be a useful practice for oral fluency development. Though traditionally repeating and drilling have negative connotations, more recent studies show that they have positive influence on learner oral proficiency. In this presentation, I will familiarize the audience with a series of oral dictation practice conducted in the University of Aizu and report how students' spontaneous speech (speaking without prior preparation) changes.

ELT means English Language Teaching. The ELT Calendar contains information about conferences, conventions, workshops, presentations and other events of professional interest to teachers of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) in Japan, and the research communities of SLA (Second Language Acquisition), TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language), TEFL (Teaching English as a Foriegn Language) and others relevant to language learning and teaching English in Japan.